Why you shouldnt_ignore_coupon_sites

US shoppers are a demanding bunch. As they direct more of their discretionary spend to online stores, they want more—and, for the most part, are getting it. Online shoppers now enjoy fast, free shipping, hassle-free returns and an exhaustive selection of products.

Shoppers have learned how to sift through the myriad of online options by adapting their usage of search engines for comparison pricing and utilizing mobile coupon apps to secure the best possible pricing outcome. With these tools at their disposal, shoppers are mastering
the art and science of online shopping.

Retailers, meanwhile, have to deal with these evolving shopper experience and pricing demands. Some retailers choose to focus on remaining above the fray, working to improve their customer experience, while standing firm on discounting. Others capitalize on the opportunity to convert customers on price. Either way, there is an inherent tension in appealing to today’s consumer who treats online shopping as a competitive sport. Illustrative of this is the fact that many retailers doubt coupon sites warrant the marketing ad spend paid to them via the affiliate marketing channel.

Considering the frequency with which internet users compare prices before purchasing—one study found that 43% of online shoppers price compare “most of the time”
engaging with consumers while they are in evaluation-mode seems advantageous. However, channel conflict and incrementality concerns have pressed the need to better understand the influence of coupons and coupon sites. To create a well-rounded view of this, CJ Affiliate by Conversant engaged with nearly 1,000 coupon site visitors of a major US coupon site to survey their coupon shopping habits.

3.
2
Overview
US shoppers are a demanding bunch. As they direct more of their discretionary spend to
online stores, they want more—and, for the most part, are getting it. Online shoppers now
enjoy fast, free shipping, hassle-free returns and an exhaustive selection of products.
Shoppers have learned how to sift through the myriad of online options by adapting their
usage of search engines for comparison pricing and utilizing mobile coupon apps to secure
the best possible pricing outcome. With these tools at their disposal, shoppers are mastering
the art and science of online shopping.
Retailers, meanwhile, have to deal with these evolving shopper experience and pricing
demands. Some retailers choose to focus on remaining above the fray, working to improve
their customer experience, while standing firm on discounting. Others capitalize on the
opportunity to convert customers on price. Either way, there is an inherent tension in
appealing to today’s consumer who treats online shopping as a competitive sport. Illustrative
of this is the fact that many retailers doubt coupon sites warrant the marketing ad spend paid
to them via the affiliate marketing channel.
Considering the frequency with which internet users compare prices before purchasing—one
study found that 43% of online shoppers price compare “most of the time” 1—engaging with
consumers while they are in evaluation-mode seems advantageous. However, channel
conflict and incrementality concerns have pressed the need to better understand the
influence of coupons and coupon sites. To create a well-rounded view of this, CJ Affiliate by
Conversant engaged with nearly 1,000 coupon site visitors of a major US coupon site to
survey their coupon shopping habits.
OF SHOPPERS
REPORT PRICE COMPARING
“MOST OF THE TIME”
1 AYTM Market Research, Jan. 2013
43%
Why You Shouldn't Ignore Coupon Sites | CJ Affiliate by Conversant, 2014

4.
3
Key Findings
1
2
3
Coupon sites positively impact the purchase journey in three
distinct ways: they introduce brands to new customers; they keep
an advertiser in the mix when shoppers are comparing prices; and
they are trusted sources of coupons that result in unplanned
purchases.
Shopper loyalty to retailers is trumped by shoppers’ loyalty to their
own best possible outcome—shoppers seek the best price
possible, regardless of familiarity with a retailer.
When committed to making a purchase, shoppers in the shopping
basket are still seeking the best deal and are open to being
influenced to buy from different retailers.
Why You Shouldn't Ignore Coupon Sites | CJ Affiliate by Conversant, 2014

5.
4
Who Are Digital Coupon Shoppers?
Digital coupons are used by 49% or 97 million adult online shoppers in the US (forecasted to
grow in 2014 to 100 million)3. Although interest in discounts cuts across many traditional
socioeconomic groups, studies have found that affluent consumers are the most active users
of coupons and other discounts.
Last year, global research firm, Ipsos, reported 54% of affluent shoppers (defined as the 58.5
million adults living in US households with at least $100,000 in annual household income)
use online coupons once a month or more and 23% do so at least once a week. Of note,
coupon interest and usage did not drop off when Ipsos examined more elite financial groups,
such as those with $250,000+ in household income, or those with $1+ million in assets4.
Shoppers with this level of buying power are an audience that retailers strive to reach, and
their strong value orientation drives them to use digital devices and tools, such as coupon
sites, to save money when shopping online.
54%
3 eMarketer, Apr. 2013
4 Ipsos Consumer Barometer, Jan. 2012
Why You Shouldn't Ignore Coupon Sites | CJ Affiliate by Conversant, 2014

6.
5
Affiliate Landscape
The affiliate channel has a lot going for it: innovations by its key players—networks,
publishers and advertisers—have kept the channel fresh and evolving; new advertisers
continue to discover and enter the channel; and existing advertisers forecast increasing their
overall marketing spend2.
Retailers who work with CJ report that the affiliate channel delivers some of their highest new
customer rates and ROAS across all marketing channels. While CJ's network data reflects
that advertisers average 25% of transactions from new customers (this varies by advertiser
program), the industry still questions the incrementality of affiliate sales.
The channel’s reliance on last click attribution and unique level of transparency into the
publisher sites driving sales has fostered a keen interest in understanding how affiliate sales
contribute to an overall marketing program mix. Over the years, marketers have sought to
understand the incrementality of sales from coupon site publishers. As online coupon usage
has increased and more consumers focus on getting the “best deal”, retailers in the network
question whether coupon sites are necessary to their affiliate program. Would consumers
still make their purchase without a coupon?
NUMBER OF ADULT
ONLINE SHOPPERS THAT
USE DIGITAL COUPONS
WOULD CONSUMERS STILL
MAKE THEIR PURCHASE
WITHOUTA COUPON?
97MILLION
2 “Affiliate Marketing –The Direct and Indirect Value That Affiliates Deliver to Advertisers,” Forrester Research, Jun. 2012
Why You Shouldn't Ignore Coupon Sites | CJ Affiliate by Conversant, 2014

7.
6
Key Questions WHAT INFLUENCE
DO COUPONS HAVE
ON BUYING
DECISIONS?
HOW ARE
SHOPPERS USING
COUPON SITES?
1 What influence do coupons and coupon sites have on
consumers while they're making their buying decisions?
2
How committed are shoppers to a purchase when they're in an
advertiser’s shopping basket or have made it to an advertiser’s
checkout page?
3 If a shopper has purchased a brand before, are they loyal to the
brand and don't need a coupon to close a sale?
4
How are shoppers using coupon sites? Are shoppers browsing
while on the sites, or is their search activity very focused and
limited?
Why You Shouldn't Ignore Coupon Sites | CJ Affiliate by Conversant, 2014

8.
7
Survey Methodology
Survey respondents were recruited from visitors to CouponMountain.com, a coupon website
formerly owned by Conversant. (CJ is also a Conversant company).
Respondents who clicked on a banner on this site were invited to submit their e-mail address
to be contacted within 48 hours with a link to the survey. Respondents who completed the
survey were provided a low-value gift card. Only US survey respondents were considered
valid.
Survey respondents represent a segment of very active online buyers: when asked about
their buying frequency, 92% of survey respondents said they shop online “multiple
times a week” and 98% confirmed that coupon sites are an essential part of their
shopping process.
The survey results are an expression of a specific audience for whom coupon sites are an
essential part of their shopping research process and not a reflection of the larger online
shopping audience.
FIND COUPON SITES
AN ESSENTIAL PART
OF SHOPPING
98%Which statement best describes your
online shopping frequency:
I buy online multiple times a week. 92%
I buy online multiple times a month. 5%
I buy online multiple times a year. 2%
n= 900
Coupon sites are an essential part of my
shopping research process.
Strongly Agree 69%
Agree 29%
98%
n= 908
OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS
SHOP ONLINE MULTIPLE
TIMES A WEEK
92%
Why You Shouldn't Ignore Coupon Sites | CJ Affiliate by Conversant, 2014

9.
8
Coupon Sites: An Important Online
Shopping Resource
Beyond personal experience, there is very little knowledge about the behavior of coupon-
seekers while on a coupon site. In our survey, we explored shoppers’ activities on coupon
sites, whether coupons impact buying decisions and how useful shoppers find coupon sites.
“Extremely Useful,” highly ranked. Compared to other online sources shoppers consult,
coupon sites ranked second in terms of usefulness—58% of survey respondents find
coupon sites “extremely useful” when researching or shopping online (search
engines ranked first by 62% of respondents). A large percentage of survey respondents
find other online sources, such as cash back and rewards, shopping comparison and content
sites, useful, but ultimately perceive coupon sites as more useful.
Browsing, comparing and discovering retailer offers. While figuring out what to buy and
where to buy it, shoppers are using coupon sites as de facto retailer comparison tools. In our
survey, 98% of respondents said they are using coupon sites to compare retailer
offers. Shoppers also use coupon sites to do more than find an offer when they have a
specific purchase in mind—53% of the survey respondents “strongly agree” with the
statement: “I use coupon sites to browse new offers and giveaways.”
Clinching the sale, driving unplanned purchases. Shoppers who are unsure if they should
make a purchase find that coupons offer a compelling argument to do so—54% of survey
respondents “strongly agree” that coupons have made the difference when unsure
about a purchase. In addition, getting a coupon into the hands of shoppers can result in
some incremental gains. When presented with a coupon, more than half of the survey
respondents (53%) “strongly agree” that receiving or finding a coupon has resulted in
an unplanned purchase.
GETTING A COUPON
INTO THE HANDS OF
SHOPPERS CAN RESULT
IN INCREMENTAL GAINS:
MORE THAN 50%
OF SHOPPERS
HAVE MADE AN
UNPLANNED
PURCHASE
AFTER FINDING
A COUPON
Why You Shouldn't Ignore Coupon Sites | CJ Affiliate by Conversant, 2014

11.
10
Influencing Retailer Choice and Driving
New Customers
In the world of online retailing, the shopper likely has more options for purchasing than in the
offline environment. As a result, comparing prices (and retailers) is standard practice. Today,
one in three clothing shoppers consult 5+ sites before buying5 and 43% of footwear buyers
will consult 2-4 sites before checking out6.
Coupon sites are not simply a part of this comparison shopping behavior, they are
contributing to the decision of where to buy—54% of respondents “strongly agree” that
coupon sites influence their choice of retailer. In addition, 50% of respondents
“strongly agree” these sites have introduced them to new retailers.
Many shoppers need a compelling reason to give a new retailer a chance and coupons
appear to be a persuasive tool in the quest for new customers—52% of our survey
respondents “strongly agree” that coupons have influenced them to purchase from a
new retailer. Affiliate coupon sites have proven to be an effective source of new customers,
likely due to this influence on coupon-seeking consumers discovering and trying new
retailers.
IN ADDITION TO
COMPARING
OFFERS,
SHOPPERS USE
COUPON SITES
TO DISCOVER
NEW RETAILERS
5 “Breaking the Glass Ceiling”, Jul. 2012, Google
6 “Online Cross Shopping Behavior for Footwear,” Nov. 2011, Google
Why You Shouldn't Ignore Coupon Sites | CJ Affiliate by Conversant, 2014

13.
12
Shopping Cart Abandoners: Leaving to
Check Out Competitors, Seeking
Coupons
As abandoned shopping cart rates hover at 60%7 (meaning 6 in 10 customers do not check
out) retailers may need to reevaluate how to interpret this metric due to this common
shopping behavior, namely using online shopping baskets as a tool for cost calculation.
More than half (52%) of online shoppers in our survey report using the shopping
basket to assess the total costs with shipping and taxes, and 5% said they simply leave
the items in the basket for later consideration. A frequent destination for these shoppers?
Competitors’ stores and coupon sites.
In the case of survey respondents who report they save items in a basket for later, 53% said
they “often” leave in order to visit other stores (either online or offline) with 30%
reporting they “always” leave to comparison shop.
A majority of shoppers who leave the shopping basket to comparison shop are seeking a
better deal via a coupon code—58% said they “always” leave to find a coupon code.
Considering this, the online shopping basket begins to look more like a busy runway than a
final destination, with customers frequently landing and taking off as they move closer toward
the purchase.
SHOPPERS USE
THEIR ONLINE
SHOPPING
BASKETS TO
CALCULATE COSTS
AND COMPARE
OFFERS AS THEY
MOVE CLOSER TO
PURCHASING
7 “Shopping Cart Abandonment: New Ways of Looking at the Purchase Path”, eMarketer, Feb. 2013
Why You Shouldn't Ignore Coupon Sites | CJ Affiliate by Conversant, 2014

14.
13
Survey Questions
Shopping Cart Abandoners: Leaving to
Check Out Competitors, Seeking
Coupons
If you place items in your cart to save them for
later, how often do you: Look at other stores
(offline or online) for comparison purposes
Always 30%
Often 53%
Sometimes 17%
n= 899
If you place items into your cart to save them for
later, how often do you: Look for a coupon code
to see if you can get a better deal
Always 58%
Often 27%
Sometimes 14%
n= 898
53%
OF SHOPPERS
“OFTEN” ABANDON
THE SHOPPING CART TO
COMPARE PRICES ONLINE
OR OFFLINE
When shopping online, I place items into my shopping basket:
To calculate order costs (shipping, taxes, basket mix) 52%
Online when I’m ready to purchase them 43%
To save them for later 5%
n= 900
Why You Shouldn't Ignore Coupon Sites | CJ Affiliate by Conversant, 2014

15.
14
Clicking Away and (Often) Not
Coming Back
Many advertisers know that discounts and coupons are persuasive and choose to host
discounts and coupon codes on their sites, including their home pages. Not surprisingly,
these advertisers struggle to understand the role coupon sites are playing in closing a sale.
Some believe that affiliate channel coupon sites are receiving credit for a sale that would
have occurred anyway. Why do shoppers click away to find discounts elsewhere and, more
importantly, how committed to a purchase are deal-seeking shoppers when they click away?
Shoppers who leave a retailer’s site to source a discount elsewhere believe they can do
better—57% of survey respondents “strongly agree” that coupon sites have better
offers than retailer’s own sites. Overall, for these shoppers, the inclination to leave a site
to find a coupon is strong—63% of respondents stated they “often” will leave to find a
coupon or offer; 20% stated they “always” leave to find a coupon.
When clicking away from a retailer’s site to find a coupon, deal-seeking shoppers are still
actively evaluating potential retailers and more than half of shoppers are not returning. In
fact, of those shoppers leaving a retailer’s site to find a coupon or offer, 57% of survey
respondents said they “often” end up choosing to buy from a different retailer; 23%
said they “always” buy from a different retailer.
Why You Shouldn't Ignore Coupon Sites | CJ Affiliate by Conversant, 2014

16.
15
Survey Questions
Clicking Away and (Often) Not
Coming Back
Coupon sites have better offers than the offers
on retailers' own websites.
Strongly Agree 57%
Agree 41%
98%
n= 906
While shopping online, how frequently do you
find yourself leaving a retailer's site to find a
coupon or offer?
Often 63%
Always 20%
Sometimes 16%
Rarely 1%
n= 903
57%
WHO CLICK AWAY
REPORT THEY “OFTEN”
END UP BUYING FROM
A DIFFERENT RETAILER
If you leave a retailer’s site to find a coupon or offer, how frequently do you choose
to buy your item from a different retailer?
Always 23%
Often 57%
Sometimes 20%
n=902
Why You Shouldn't Ignore Coupon Sites | CJ Affiliate by Conversant, 2014

17.
16
Lowest Price Trumps Loyalty
Understanding how coupon-seeking shoppers feel about brands to which they’d describe
themselves as loyal was a key objective of this study. Advertisers, in many cases, recognize
the potential of affiliate coupon sites to connect them with new shoppers and tap into this
reach with offerings tailored to new customers. In return, advertisers report seeing some of
their highest new customer rates occurring in the affiliate channel, with a healthy percentage
of new customer transactions tracking back to affiliate coupon sites.
Yet chief marketing officers and brand managers frequently raise the concern that coupons
(and by extension, coupon sites) are not needed to keep existing customers coming back.
Does a prior purchase history with an advertiser translate into a shopper not comparing
products or retailers?
Responses reflect that online shoppers prioritize buying the item they want at the best price
over buying it from a retailer they’ve shopped from before. Survey respondents said they
compare prices on most purchases—58% “strongly agree” they compare prices on most
purchases even if they feel loyal to some brands or retailers; 54% also “strongly
agree” with the statement that their price comparison behavior extends to even their
favorite brands.
Within this landscape of limited loyalty and active price comparing, there is an opportunity for
advertisers: shoppers are receptive to purchasing from new retailers if the purchase equation
works out. Nearly all (99%) of our respondents agreed they would likely buy from a new
retailer if they sold a desired item for the “best price.”
ONLINE SHOPPERS
PRIORITIZE BUYING
AN ITEM AT THE
BEST PRICE OVER
RETAILER AFFINITY
OR LOYALTY
Why You Shouldn't Ignore Coupon Sites | CJ Affiliate by Conversant, 2014

18.
17
Survey Questions
Lowest Price Trumps Loyalty
54%
OF SHOPPERS COMPARE
PRICES ON MOST
PURCHASES, INCLUDING
THEIR FAVORITE BRANDS
I compare prices on most purchases even if I’d
describe myself as loyal to some brands or
retailers
Strongly Agree 58%
Agree 41%
99%
n= 902
I compare prices on most purchases including my
favorite brands.
Strongly Agree 54%
Agree 45%
99%
n= 902
I am likely to buy from new retailers if they have the item I want for the best price.
Strongly Agree 54%
Agree 45%
99%
n= 902
Why You Shouldn't Ignore Coupon Sites | CJ Affiliate by Conversant, 2014

19.
18
Key Takeaways
This research shows that coupon sites connect with shoppers in ways that shoppers find
useful and essential, and they serve a function that advertisers cannot readily provide
themselves. As trusted sources of money-saving content, coupon sites have cultivated a
relationship that stands outside of the one a retailer has cultivated with customers. As such,
coupon sites connect with shoppers in a way that is perceived as unbiased. Advertisers who
are evaluating the role of coupon sites in their marketing program should consider the
following:
Retailers should view coupon sites as customer-acquisition and retention tools.
Missed opportunities result when brands restrict or fail to optimize their presence on these
sites as they have evolved into bona fide discovery and comparison tools.
Shoppers have evolved. We cannot go back to the days when shoppers would be
comfortable enough with a retailer’s brand to not seek out the best deal and, while doing so,
may migrate to new brands.
The internet’s most active and affluent shoppers can be reached via coupon sites, a
critical stop for these shoppers as they whittle down their retailer options. Further, retailers
likely cannot have it all—namely, active affluent shoppers who do not seek or need
discounts.
Why You Shouldn't Ignore Coupon Sites | CJ Affiliate by Conversant, 2014

20.
19
Three Questions to Ask When Evaluating Affiliate Coupon Publishers
What audience does this publisher site reach? Can it help me reach new customer segments?
Coupon sites are not all the same. As a result, they attract shoppers with varying demographics that an advertiser can wisely use to tap into both
existing and new customer segments. Ask potential coupon publishers to share third-party validated site metrics. Also, explore the different vehicles,
such as deal alerts and newsletters that the publisher uses to share deal-content with shoppers who have opted in to receive this information—it
could result in incremental gains.
How can coupon publishers help me reach smartphone shoppers?
Affiliate coupon publishers have found ways to engage shoppers on their smartphones just as consumers have embraced purchasing on them (35%
of US m-commerce sales will occur on smartphones next year, totaling $14.5 billion USD in sales)8. Mobile coupon apps for smartphones send text
alerts as new offers go live, resulting in unplanned purchases. Reaching customers on smartphones is a rich opportunity for advertisers to connect
with shoppers on the device that is nearly always at hand.
Coupons eat into my profit margin. How can I control my costs and still work with coupon sites?
Advertisers have more control over a transaction’s final order value than they realize. Coupon-seeking shoppers can be influenced to place more
items in their shopping basket to reach a free shipping threshold that exceeds an advertiser’s average shopping basket size. This drives incremental
gains by virtue of additional sales. Advertisers can reach the same result by offering dollar-off or percent-off discounts on basket sizes that meet their
revenue or profitability goals. Net-net: advertisers can work with coupon site publishers and remain profitable.
8 Source: eMarketer, Sept. 2013
Why You Shouldn't Ignore Coupon Sites | CJ Affiliate by Conversant, 2014